Whatever you're crafting, if you're a keen crafter you're probably always looking to find ways of making it a little more interesting. There are many ways of doing this and if you're happy to use your imagination and if you're happy to use your imagination you can make some exciting changes.

Whether you are crafting on your own or with a child, using these easy ideas will allow you to add a little extra to your crafts, regardless of what you're making! Bookmark these ideas to make your future craft projects even more exciting than usual!Add Some ColourWhatever you're making adding a little colour can always make a craft stand out. There's lots of ways to brighten your crafts, whether it be using paint or powder, or simply changing it up with the use of some coloured glue sticks. Adding some colour can make a huge difference to your finished craft and is easy to do. Use one brighter colour against neutral tones or pastels, or go for a complete blast of colour. Try A New DesignMaybe you want to try something brand new, go back to the drawing board and try a completely new design. Let your imagination take the lead with a brand new project and create something different to your usual crafts. Always remember though when trying something new that you will need to be patient and careful of errors to avoid having to start over again. Use different materialsSomething that always makes a big impact on the finished product in any craft is the actual materials you use. If you're confident enough to try something new, why not change the items your using . The results could change your crafting in a big way. This is definitely worth bearing in mind if you don't want to change the nature or structure of the project itself but want to make it a little different. Playing around with the materials may improve the finished piece in a way you would never have expected, making it another great reason to try it.

Make Something Completely UniqueAs a crafter it's very exciting to make things that are entirely unique and one of a kind, so if you're stuck in a rut making the same things over and over it's probably time to try something new. Creating something entirely unique is one of the easiest ways to add a little extra to your crafts. If you're feeling a bit lost this could get you crafting again. Just like when using new materials though, this can be difficult so again you'll need to take your time but if your craft goes well it could be massively rewarding. You'll have a great finished piece, different to anything else you've made, which should be a huge confidence boost! It's definitely worth trying! PracticeWhat if you've tried all of the above and you find it still hasn't made a difference to your crafting or made it any better? Well, it might just come down to the fact that you need a little more practice. The more and more your practice, the more confident you will get and it'll be more likely your projects will turn out just how you want them. So if you want to become an expert crafter make sure you spend sometime practicing with lots of different kinds of crafts to help your confidence grow, which will make a big difference in the future. Keep these tips in mind when you craft and bring a little extra to your projects as you go.Enjoy!Mummy Snowy Owlxx

Weddings, weddings, weddings! Weddings everywhere! Wedding
fever has taken over the world due to the latest Royal Wedding, and if you have
a wedding planned it may fill you with excitement and ideas!

Sadly though your budget maybe a little short in comparison
to Harry and Meghan’s! That shouldn’t stop you having your dream wedding though. So, if you’re prepared to plan thoroughly, shop around and
get creative then here are my top tips for your perfect day, the wedding of
your dreams and your happily ever after.

First, make your guest list and check it twice!

Yes, check it twice just like Santa! Make a list of all the
family and friends you’d like to invite, thinking of the ones close to you and
those that are a big part of your life. Then add the ones you need to invite,
like the family members your Mum will insist on to avoid a falling out. Then
sit down with your parents and strip the list down.

A good rule is to only
invite those that you have seen within the last year. This is a little easier
to do if you’re planning a wedding a couple of years ahead of time, as you can
make a list and whittle it down gradually. Cutting down on guest numbers will definitely help your budget!

Get crafty with your
wedding favours

Putting the word wedding in front of anything makes it
instantly double in price and this definitely comes into play when considering wedding
favours. You’ll find items marked ‘wedding sweets’, ‘wedding biscuits’ etc,
will be a lot more than your average treats. To save money you can consider
putting the wedding favours together yourself. When we got married in 2007
traditional sugared almonds were all the rage, but there was one problem with
that. My husband and I hated them. There were plenty of alternatives available.
Handmade chocolates, personalised candles and heart shaped biscuits to name a
few, but in the end we picked something we loved! Our favourite childhood
sweets!

We visited our local cash and carry and bought a selection of our
favourites. Together with a ream of ribbon and a stack of plastic bags we made
up our wedding favours to be reminiscent of the old 10p mix bags!

Shop around for your
wedding rings

I spent ages looking online and in very expensive shop
windows at wedding rings. Ones that were way out of my price range, to the
point that some cost more than our cake and my wedding dress……..put together.

During a visit to a wedding fayre we saw some unique hand craft wedding rings and it
opened our minds to looking elsewhere. In the end we bought our wedding rings
at a high street store for a tenth of the price of the others we had seen! They were exactly what we wanted and we loved them!

Pick a theme

Having a theme, whether it be a colour or style, doesn’t
have to be expensive. Especially if you go for something with a little boho or vintage style. Think
burlap and lace, candles and fresh flowers. The end results can be stunning but
your budget doesn’t have to be huge to pull it off. Plenty of budget stores
offer burlap bunting and you can also buy it by the ream from places like eBay,
if you want to make it yourself or make table runners too. You can also save up
glass jars and upcycle into candle holders or vases. Places like Pinterest and Confetti.co.uk are full of ideas.

Weddings can be stressful, especially when you have your
heart and mind set on certain things, but hopefully with a little planning and budgeting
you can have your dream wedding. Most importantly though, it’s likely you will only have your
dream wedding if you have what YOU want, so don’t feel you have to accommodate everyone!
Pick and choose what you and your partner want and have the best day ever.

So, you’ve picked your bridesmaids and
bestman, and you’ve bought a stack of wedding magazines. As soon as your news
spreads or you’ve made the announcement on social media people start asking
that question!

The ‘have you set a date yet’ question!

Picking a date
though just isn’t that simple. First you’re going to have to make sure all your
nearest and dearest are available and then comes one of the biggest choices you
will make and that’s picking your venue.

There’s a lot to take into consideration when choosing the
place where you want to celebrate your marriage and here’s my tips on how to
pick your dream wedding venue.

Location

Whether it be a wedding abroad, a big stately home style event or bijou wedding, you’ll need to take into consideration where abouts you want to
get married. You may dream of being barefoot on a beach in Barbados but if you
have elderly relatives that you want to attend, a long haul flight and hot
weather may not mix well.A stately home
maybe perfect for those wanting to wed and celebrate in one place but if it’s
an hour from where you live consider how people will get to the venue,
especially if you’re leaving from home. You don’t want to be travelling for an
hour in your wedding dress! Think of the creases!

Decide on the ceremony

Church and Vicar, Town Hall and Registrar followed by a
separate reception or everything all in one place. The type of ceremony you
want will also have an effect on your venue. If you want to get married and
have your reception all under one roof you’ll need to be sure your venue has a licence but if you choose your local Town Hall or Registry Office you won’t
have that worry. The same goes for a church, although many will ask that you
attend for a period of time before your wedding.

Capacity

The size of the venue you need is completely dependent on
how many people you have attending. This makes writing out your guest list one
of the first things you will need to do. Once you’ve ensured you’ve got all the
must have relatives and friends on the list you’ll also need to decide if you
want everyone to attend all day or if you’d like separate day and evening
receptions, along with if the venue can hold all of those on your list.

Choices

What the venue has to offer should also play a part in
picking your venue. The menu, the drinks packages, linen and table arrangements
will all be choices you’ll have to make, so be sure the venue offers what you
want. This is vital if you’ve picked a colour scheme or want a certain food.
You may also want to consider a venue that offers overnight accommodation or a
quieter area for older relatives or little ones in need of a power nap!

Photo Ops

I can tell you from experience that one of the things you
look back on most will be your wedding photos. Framed or in an album, every
time that you look at them the memories of your special day will come flooding
back. So, when you view wedding venues
make sure to look for idea photo ops and locations, with spaces for big group
photos of all the attendees or loved up photos of the bride and groom.

More than anything though, when picking your venue ensure it
is the one for you and is perfect for your big day.

The time has come for another Royal Wedding! Whether you're a royalist or not there's no avoiding the hype that surrounds the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The marriage of a British prince to an American actress has got the world excited and many are braced to watch the wedding on Saturday! Are you having a watching party like Mammaprada? Do you want a couple of activities to keep the kids busy? Maybe you're doing a Royal theme with your Brownies, or maybe you're a Home Educator that wants to do some Royal wedding themed craft or activities on the run up to the big day?Well, here's an easy four!

The first activity is to design a flag in honour of Harry and Meghan.

To do this I bought small fabric flags and fabric pens from Baker Ross. I also used a crown template from the Disney Princess stencils that I picked up from Poundland. My Brownies really loved making their flags and they got very creative! If you don't have fabric pens and a plain flag, normal felt tips or crayons and a piece of card will do.

Another great activity that I bought from Baker Ross are these tiaras.

Add gems, glitter, flowers and colour in to make your own unique tiara.

The final two activities are paper based. One being a design a wedding dress colouring activity. I found the cute printable over at SparkleBox.

The other activity is a wordsearch. These are a great spare activity when you need a quiet few moments or all the other crafts are done and the kids are looking for something more to do. I create all our wordsearches using the Discovery puzzle page here.

As you know, we love to travel with our little one, and
that comes with its own challenges but before holidays with children are
holidays pregnant and they require a whole other level of organisation! Here
are my 7 quick tips for a pregnant holiday!

1. Choose Your Destination

The key to any good
holiday is choosing the perfect destination, and this is even more important
when pregnant. Choose from a relaxing pampering break, something full of gentle
sightseeing, or even splash out for a cruise. Avoid holidays that involve long treks or theme parks
so you’re not on your feet for too long or queuing up for rides you can’t go
on!

2. Pack Smart

When you are packing, as
well as all your usual holiday essentials, don’t forget all the things that you
need for pregnant life. Make sure you have your prenatal vitamins, hospital
notes and anything else you might need!

There are some things
that you know you won’t be able to do, for example riding roller coasters, although
there are others that may not be so obvious. Things like scuba diving should be avoided as the pressure can cause air bubbles to form in the
bloodstream, which is incredibly dangerous for your unborn baby. A safer alternative to this
is to go snorkeling or simply paddle in the pool.

5. Keep Cool

If you are off to a
lovely sunny climate remember that your pregnant skin is more likely to burn
so be sure to slather on that high factor sun cream! A personal fan is a great investment and, of course, plenty of water! Try to stay out of the sun during the hottest
times and let the shade will be a welcome relief!

6. Going Abroad?

One thing you will have
to consider if you are planning a holiday abroad is when in your pregnancy you
fly. Between 13 and 24 weeks is generally considered the
safest time to flyand if you wait until after the first trimester you will hopefully be past the morning sickness and extreme exhaustion phase!
After 28 weeks you'll have to have confirmation from your midwife or doctor to
fly and, generally speaking, you won’t be allowed to fly after 34 weeks, so get
that travelling in as soon as you can!

7. Be Vaccine Smart

Some destinations require vaccines and the research around whether these are
safe for unborn babies is not conclusive, so it might be best to avoid these
destinations until your baby is born. Most anti-malaria tablets are not safe
for pregnant women either, so do your research before booking.

Going on holiday whilst you're pregnant and enjoying a babymoon can be
a great way to relax and make memories before the baby comes but it
does require some extra planning.

Do you have any other top tips for holidaying
while pregnant? Let me know in the comments!

Lighting can easily be forgotten about when doing home
improvements. An old strip light here. A wonky lamp there. It can often become
the unsightly factor of your home.

Unless it’s a stunning stain glass window bringing in a
colourful blast of natural light or a beautiful chandelier, lighting is rarely
a vocal point. This is probably why it easily becomes a second thought.

It really shouldn’t be though! Lighting brings warmth and,
obviously, light to your home! The right lighting can make a house a home. A bright
place to study and entertain or a cosy place to read and snuggle.

There are lots of factors to take into consideration when
it comes to choosing lighting. First consider the type of lighting you want or need. Is it
a ceiling or wall light, or both?

Maybe it’s a table lamp or a tall lamp. Look
around and see what would suit your room. At that point you can move forward
and think about style and there are so many too! Modern, rustic, upcycled, concept, to name just a few, can
bring an essence of uniqueness to your home. If all of this is a little
overwhelming you could also consider working with a Lighting Designer.

Many high street home stores will have a lighting assistant
in store but for something a little different,and if your budget allows, you
could visit a lighting studio or a designer with their own design light shop.

Places like Studio Arntzen specialise in concept
development and spatial design. Run by Dutch designer Paula Arntzen, the studio
creates unique and dynamic designs from concept to final production.

Following High School Paula
studied Traditional Furniture Making at the HMC in the Netherlands where she
developed her technical knowledge and crafts skills as a furniture maker. She
then went on to study Product Design at the ArtEZ Academy of Art, which
cemented her passion and future career as a Product Designer.

On graduating in 2009, Arntzen established her design studio,
Studio Arntzen, where she began to focus on light installations for public
spaces, realising that installations appealed to a wide range of clients in the
Netherlands and internationally. After four years she decided to complete a
Masters of Arts in Design Products at the Royal College of Art in London
from which she graduated in 2015. Her work has become known internationally and
she has worked collaboratively on several international workshops and projects.

Creating designs for the home and business, Studio Arntzen creates lighting for unique and differing environments.

Through experimentation with materials and techniques each
item is different and beautifully crafted. A range of different materials are
used for their lighting products including paper, plastic, foil and glass.

The same goes for the furniture the studio make including a
bench made from 100% recycled plastics.

Arntzen’s craft skills are mixed and used within her
designs. Doing in depth research, she pushes the boundaries of design and
creates distinctive end products.

So if you’re budget allows and you’re looking for a unique
piece of lighting Studio Arntzen maybe the place to go. With her studio growing
and her products becoming known internationally it may also be a savvy
investment!

Over the shoulder boulder holders. Brasseries. Let's be honest about them too!They are often uncomfortable, too small, too big and an irritant. Throw having a baby into the mix and your set for more fidgeting and adjusting. Your wash day bra will soon become your best bra. What if you'd like to jazz things up again? Be a mum but a mum with a nice, yet comfortable, supportive yet, what for it...........SEXY BRA!!

Well, this is where I've discovered Hunkemoller can help! Stylish, supportive, comfortable and sexy underwear for a reasonable price.

Now, I know too well how ordering underwear online can go. The sizes are like a fairy tale, make believe. The chances are it's also nonreturnable or you just never get round to returning it and it languishes in a drawer.

You have none of this worry with Hunkemoller! I happily received a strapless bra and can confirm the sizes are true to size and very accurate!

Take a look at the lovely packaging and the unboxing in this video!

Bring larger busted strapless bras are always a concern for me but this one really took me by surprise! Not only did it fit perfectly, it was soft, so very soft, and supportive without feeling like a corset! It's perfect for a strapless or off the shoulder number!

This strapless bra is what dreams are made of! It even stays put with a shimmy!

I've also had a look through the rest of the Hunkemoller range and will definitely be ordering from them. Their leisure wear looks super comfy!

So, if you're in the market for a new bra, take a look at Hunkemoller.

So you're a blogger and you want to start earning a few £££, but you're not sure what attracts a brand to link up with a blogger. What makes a brand head in your direction with an opportunity?Maybe you're a brand who want to work with bloggers and you don't know where to start and how to contact bloggers. What makes a blogger want to work with you and promote your brand?Well here's a few tips for bloggers and brands for successful blogger outreach!

First, bloggers! Let's start with domains! To catch a brands eye you'll probably need a good domain authority, known for short as DA. For this you'll need your own domain (.com). Don't panic though you don't need to build a new website! If you're on Blogger or Wordpress you can buy a domain and still be hosted by them. It's really easy to do and YouTube videos can help you along the way if you're not tech-savvy. You're also going to need a clear and well laid out blog!A blog full of good quality posts is good but add in pages/labels for each type of post makes it great. For example, my posts are clear grouped and categorised, showing the areas I cover. There's pages for Parenting, Crafts, Baking etc.

You'll also need a well written and easy to find about and contact page. Brands who want to work with you don't want want to spend ages searching through your blog looking for your email address! Also, consider buying a template for your blog to give it a more professional look.

You should also utilise social media!

Get yourself out there and seen by following and interacting with your favourite bloggers, share your blog posts regularly and follow PR companies on Twitter. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter are all popular with bloggers.

Now brands! So, you want to work with bloggers!

First consider your approach. When contacting a blogger either by email or social media always greet them by their first name. Dear Blogger or Hi Influencer come across a bit lazy and are clearly a bulk copy and paste email!

Next, consider your budget.

Don't assume bloggers will support your brand or product for free. Many will review products for free and accept it as payment but if you want a link to your page as part of the review, or there's no product and you just want a link dropping, be prepared to pay for it. Links can affect a bloggers DA so they are unlikely to just let you link drop for free. Remember that for many this is a form of employment.

If you're still unsure about reaching out to a blogger you can use a PR agency or blogger outreach company to act on your behalf. Sites like Get Blogged act as a middle person between bloggers and brands, arranging paid blogging jobs.

Hopefully, using these tips will help blogger outreach for both blogger and brands and help you work well together.